The Bloodbound Awakening

followed Eli

wait

wed her, thick

ig

adows and armored knights. The air smelled of wax and something older-blood and burnt sage. Elian tried to move, but her body wasn't her own.

ngle drop of ruby-bit into her palm as her fin

isn

d, a strange calm settled over her, as if she'd s

ling wolves. At the end, a figure stood in silhouette, his broad

el

hrough her, vibra

moved without her permission, formin

vé ma

gure t

a spear. Centuries of it, festering, rotting him from the inside out. She f

said, his voice rou

thout her consent,

dream s

er legs, her skin slick with sweat. The room was fr

snored softly, one arm

willing her heartbeat to slow. Just a

eight had felt so r

at her sternum where th

the

el

ung to the cobblestones like grasping fingers, and the gargoyle

ile Jason regaled their table with his "dungeon exploration,"

the chains for emphasis. "Authentic medieval bling.

drunk people. Which, given yo

"Miracle! Was that... a joke? From

off, but there

window, where the cathedral's spires speared the gray sky. La

the

ngers in front of her face. "You gonna

te toward him. "Kn

ay? You've been space

ant, about him-but Jason would laugh, and Mira would give her that

sleep well,"

ts at the Cathedral of Saint Aurelius. Meet back here in ten

ge of the table. The wood was carved with strange symbols-interloc

thing int

. He stood too close, his brea

hand back. "Just.

language. Few notice them anymore." He leaned in, his

kled. "What d

you ask." He tapped one gnarled finger against the table. "They say Saint Aurelius himself carved

mach twiste

Mira called from the doo

s smile widening. "Ask yo

h caught.

ghter chasing her

Saint Aurelius wa

low eyes that seemed to track their every move. Elian's skin crawled as s

dry parchment-intoned, "this cathedral was the site of the infamous V

lian. "Night c

ng forward, her historian's curiosi

itches. The usual." But her eyes flick

wed her gaz

dress, her green eyes bright against the darkness. The pendant at her

my

up, drawn to the painting like a moth to flame. The plaque bene

lo

rembled as sh

neath the painting

wallowed t

r brushe

re no

, her shoulder hitt

grin fading as he took in her face. "W

elbow, her brow furro

wed hard. "J

Elian's forehead. "You're clammy. May

be the ghost of Hot Pa

ely heard them. Her gaze was locked

tbeat, she'd sworn

, the drea

scent of roses and iron. Raelith's back was to her, his shoulde

is voice

ina? Her?) reached for

is eyes burn

ade twisting in her gut. She woke with a sob c

m was i

e foot of

sh

ser

pricks of crimson l

ath froze i

then dissolved like smoke a

t hammering, until dawn c

her skull, louder

el

h it, anot

nd